An upcoming event will support
the large number of specialty hot beverage businesses across the Middle East, in addition to developing the coffee and tea culture of Gulf states like the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
A Sept. 20 press release describes the 2016
International Coffee and Tea Festival be held at the Meydan Gallery and
Convention Center in Dubai Nov. 2-4.
The announcement estimates that over 3000 new cafés and
similar businesses have been opened in the UAE since 2014.
According to planners, the trade show helps support the region’s
growing demand for high-quality hot drinks.
The 2016 International Coffee and Tea Festival will include
numerous workshops, product and equipment displays, and demonstrations of
items like espresso machines, barware and brewing equipment — as well as a
number of national competitions including the UAE Barista and Brewer’s Cup.
Baristas in the contest will be judged on a 15-minute drink
preparation session where they will put together multiple espresso drinks in
front of a live audience. The winner will go to the 2017 World Barista Championship
in Seoul, South Korea.
Planners are excited about what this event has to offer the
industry.
“Since its inception
eight years ago, the International Coffee and Tea Festival (ICTF) has grown to
become an anticipated and prestigious event for the café industry in the Middle
East,” Anselm Godinho, managing director at International Conferences and Exhibitions, which organized ICTF, recently told Gulf News Journal. “Known to showcase unique
facets of coffee, tea, bar and café products, equipment and services and what
is trending in the industry, ICTF caters to the investors and operators of
cafes, aspiring café owners, the hospitality industry in general and individuals interested in coffee and tea as a business or a commodity.
Those who are eager to learn more about coffee and tea as a business or a
profession also find the competitions and training modules offered at the event
highly beneficial and valuable.”
Godinho said the event has been a key player in
promoting the coffee and tea industry in the Middle East.
“International
Conferences and Exhibitions LLC (IC&E) has been instrumental in raising
the bar for cafés in the region with the show and has succeeded in increasing
the number of players working in the coffee and café business around the region,” Godinho said. “ICTF
2016 will provide a global platform for all stakeholders — from coffee bar equipment
suppliers, green coffee growers and traders, tea traders to showcase their
products and services, to a regional audience of over 7000 buyers and
enthusiasts.”
Additionally, Godinho said the event also includes the most
advanced and only certified coffee training workshops operated and governed by
the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA).
More details are available at www.coffeeteafest.com.
